


The Torch, Part II

by Titch360



Series: My Version of Events [68]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:07:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28789212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titch360/pseuds/Titch360
Summary: Summer comes to a close, and changes come with the changing of the season.  Growth happens as relationships are made, and lost.Who am I kidding?  This is the long-awaited end to The Torch...............Or, is it?
Series: My Version of Events [68]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1339429
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	The Torch, Part II

The Torch

Part 2

Restaurants are interesting places. For a place that seemingly has one function, they actually serve many purposes. The obvious, of course, is a place to eat a meal. Restaurants also serve as meeting places. Places for celebrations, reunions, and parties. Places for business meetings and negotiations. Places to catch up. Places where lifelong commitments are made, and broken.

But mostly, they’re a place to get together and eat.

This particular restaurant, an upscale diner on the border of Gotham Heights and Merchant Row, was completely unremarkable in every way. It was a popular eatery that was almost always busy, for one reason only. The restaurant was less than a block from Gotham State University, and could be reached in just a couple minutes on foot.

Today was just as busy as any other day at the diner, which was, surprisingly, exactly how our diners wanted it. It allowed their conversation to blend in with every other conversation in the building. Even if they were the oddest couple in the building, they could pass unnoticed by just about everyone.

A red-haired woman in a wheelchair sat across the table from a dark-haired teen boy. They perused the menu, even though they should have known it by heart by now. This same meal had been taking place almost regularly for the past six months. The tradition had started out awkwardly, and had a long break soon after it began, but had happened at least once a week for the past three and a half months.

Barbara Gordon smirked across the table, as she usually did, as Damian Wayne studied the menu like it had changed recently. The menu at this particular diner hadn’t changed significantly in over twenty years.

“Are you finally going to break down and change your order,” Barbara asked.

Damian didn’t look up as he said, “I’m thinking about it. How about you? Are you still sticking with the chicken sandwich?”

“I’m thinking about it,” Barbara said cattily.

Damian glanced up at his dining companion, “You were the one who chose the restaurant, remember.”

“I chose the restaurant six months ago,” Barbara said, “I didn’t think I’d end up coming here twice a week for months on end.”

“If you want to go somewhere else, we can do that,” Damian said.

Barbara angled her head, “When you can finally tell me why you want to keep these dates, I’ll think about other restaurants.”

Damian looked down, “I told you why. I was asked to do something.”

“Something that could be accomplished with a text message,” Barbara said.

She knew full well that Damian had started contacting her due to a favor asked by Dick. Dick had called her and told her as much. She also knew that Damian was holding a grudge against Dick. Neither male had discussed their rift with her, but it was just as deep and wide as it had been six months ago, when it began.

From a conversation with Tim, Barbara knew that Damian and Dick had a massive fight while they were at Dick’s circus. Dick didn’t remember the fight, even though he had heard that it happened from Bruce, Jason, and Tim. The one person who hadn’t talked to Dick about the fight was Damian. Damian hadn’t spoken with Dick since storming away from the older man at the airport, when the brothers had returned to Gotham, and Dick had stayed behind.

Damian had only ever mentioned Dick to Barbara once during their weekly meals. She had been surprised when Damian had called her the first time, especially since she already knew of the disharmony between the brothers before Damian called. All Damian had said was that Dick asked him to check on her.

Barbara figured it would be a one-time occasion, not a weekly appointment.

“Do you really want to say date out loud,” Damian said, “You’re almost old enough to be my mother. Say date too loud, and you’ll end up on an episode of Dateline, Miss Daughter of the Commissioner.”

“I would only be old enough to be your mother if I had you when I was…your age,” Barbara said.

Damian nodded, “Or, Robin’s age. See? It’s not that far-fetched a notion, now, is it?”

Barbara didn’t answer as the waiter walked up to the table to take their order. She smirked over at Damian before looking up at the waiter and saying, “I’ll have the Turkey Club with fruit instead of fries, please.”

Damian stared at Barbara for a long second as the waiter wrote down the order. That was what Damian ordered almost every time they had lunch together.

Damian looked up at the waiter and said, “I’ll have the grilled chicken sandwich, salad with Italian dressing, and a side order of onion rings, please.”

Barbara smirked as Damian ordered her usual lunch.

The waiter walked away, and the pair returned to their conversation.

“So, talked to Dick yet,” Barbara asked.

Damian looked uncomfortable as he grumbled, “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“That’s a no, then,” Barbara said.

“Why do you keep asking, when you already know the answer,” Damian asked, “Do you talk to him?”

“Of course, I do,” Barbara said, “We _are_ engaged, after all.”

Barbara didn’t like the cringe that found its way onto Damian’s face. The last time she had talked to Bruce, she found out that Dick had apparently been calling everyone, except Damian. According to Bruce, Dick didn’t know how to break the ice. Their rift had gone on so long that he felt that anything he tried now would be taken very badly. Dick had become a non-topic when Damian was around, and the teen was usually a forbidden topic when anyone was talking to Dick. Barbara was the only one brave enough to actually say Dick’s name in front of Damian anymore.

They were all desperate to keep the fact that they had almost regular contact with Dick from Damian, as they all still thought that Damian was unaware of the calls. Damian knew about the calls, but the thought of addressing the situation hurt too much.

Damian looked down, “Is he…is he…”

Barbara sighed, “You don’t have to do this, Damian. He’s alive and well, if that’s what you’re concerned about. If you’re concerned at all. You’re allowed to be the bigger man, you know. You don’t have to wait for him, if you want to talk.”

“He’s proven, over the last six months, exactly what I mean to him,” Damian grumbled, “I…I know.”

“You know,” Barbara asked, confused. Her eyes widened after a second of thought, “Oh. You _know_. How long have you known?”

“Months,” Damian said softly, “Father tries to hide it from me, but he trained me too well. He should know by now that the only secrets he’s able to keep from me are the ones I don’t want to know.”

Barbara nodded, “Yeah, Bruce should be aware of that. Um, what do you think of that?”

Damian fingered a scratch on the table top as he said, “It doesn’t bother me.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Barbara said, “You know that.”

Damian looked up, and Barbara could have sworn that a breakthrough, followed by the teen spilling what had caused the brothers so much pain and strain over the last six months, was imminent. She silently nodded at the teen, encouraging him to speak.

The moment passed, and Damian only released a slow breath, instead of a burden.

Their awkward silence lasted just short of a minute, and was broken by the arrival of their lunch. They ate silently for several minutes before Damian said, “This is actually pretty good.”

“There’s a reason I keep ordering it,” Barbara said with a smile, “What time do you have to be back for your next class?”

Damian shook his head, “I’m done for the day. I only have the one class on campus on Thursdays. What time do you have to be back to work?”

Barbara checked the time on her watch and said, “I have another twenty minutes.”

Damian took a sip of water, then said, “Why did you take a job in the University Library? I would have thought you had other things you could be doing.”

“I’ve worked there for two years,” Barbara said, “Believe it or not, it pays more than the Public Library did, and I have to do one hundred percent less story times for children. Not that I have anything against children, but having to come up with a way to entertain those ankle biters without them spending the whole time staring at my chair just wears on my nerves.”

Damian smirked, “You have a whole different set of children to deal with now. Honestly, which ones are worse?”

Barbara smiled, “I didn’t have to stop the little ones from trying to have sex between the book stacks, so that is something in favor of the little ones.”

“Really,” Damian asked.

Barbara winked at the teen, “Wishing you could transfer to NYU now, aren’t you.”

“Robin has a dorm room,” Damian said, “We wouldn’t need to use the library.”

“When did she start?”

“We started the same day,” Damian said, “Our semesters started the same day. Our holiday schedules line up, too. I don’t know if she will come here for Thanksgiving yet, but she will come down for Spring Break.”

“What about Christmas,” Barbara asked.

“She’s going home, to Alaska,” Damian said, “Her parents were not going to budge on that one.”

“And Bruce won’t let you spend the holidays out there,” Barbara said while nodding.

“I didn’t ask him,” Damian said, “I don’t like taking no for an answer, so it’s better if I just let it go for now. Robin and I will have decades of holidays to spend together in the future. Anyway, winter in Gotham is too cold for me. I might actually freeze to death in an Alaskan winter.”

Barbara grabbed an onion ring from Damian’s plate and said, “I thought you were trying to finish your schooling online. Why did you register for on campus classes?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Damian said with a shrug, “Three of my classes didn’t have enough people sign up for the online-only portion, so everyone got shoved into the in-person class. Hopefully the rest of the class isn’t as bad as how it started.”

Barbara smiled, “This is the first week of classes. How bad can it be?”

Damian rolled his eyes, “There are reasons I’ve taken almost everything online. It’s not easy being a college senior at sixteen.”

“You’re fifteen,” Barbara pointed out quickly, to Damian’s annoyance.

Damian released a breath before saying, “Close enough. Anyway, taking business classes with the last name Wayne has to be somewhat like entering the Police Academy with the last name Gordon. Everyone knows about you before you ever open your mouth. It was bad enough in high school when people saw me and only thought about Father’s money. Now, they’re seeing me and thinking about Father’s company. I can’t even get myself a job there, why do people think I can get them a job?”

“The only reason you can’t get a job there is because you aren’t eighteen yet,” Barbara said, “You should expect a lot more of that kind of attention before the end of your classes. How do they even know you’re Bruce’s son?”

“The professor called roll,” Damian grumbled, “He was the one who asked if I was related to Father, and pointed it out to the whole class. I could barely make it to my next class on time with all the people wanting to point and stare at the rich guy’s son.”

Barbara released a breath, “If people saw you more around town, and saw you more with Bruce, you probably wouldn’t have to put up with that. You know, there are still large parts of the city who don’t believe that you are actually Bruce’s son. You do such a good job of staying out of the spotlight, people forget you exist.”

“That’s how I want it,” Damian said. “What about you? You ever think about going into the family business?”

Barbara looked a bit uncomfortable, “I’m thinking about it now. Dad asked me to do some work with him, cataloging reports and revamping the storage and reporting systems. He thought that would be good work for a librarian. It’s pretty easy, if sometimes boring. I’ve been thinking of taking the Reserve Officer exam. That would allow me to do something for the GCPD without actually having to take patrols.”

“I doubt many patrol cars are wheelchair accessible,” Damian said.

“No,” Barbara said, shaking her head, “but there are plenty of jobs I could do without leaving a precinct building.”

“How many of those pay better than the University Library,” Damian asked.

“The pay is comparable,” Barbara said, “The benefits are much better, though.”

“Maybe you should do it,” Damian said.

Barbara nodded, “I’m going to talk to Dad about it this weekend. I think I’ll go for it.”

“Good for you,” Damian said, wiping his face on a napkin, “Well, that’s your future decided. Should we try to plan out mine?”

“Don’t you already know what you’re going to do,” Barbara asked.

“Well, yes,” Damian said, “but I have at least two more years before I can start down that path, and Father isn’t just going to retire and give me the company for an eighteenth birthday present.”

Barbara smiled widely, “I bet, if you asked nicely, he would.”

“He would get suspicious,” Damian said, “When have I ever asked nicely for anything?”

“There’s always a first time for…”

Barbara trailed off as her eyes widened, her hands rose in shock, and a deep gasp escaped her mouth. Damian only had a second to be confused at Barbara’s actions before a hand slapped down on his right shoulder and gripped it tightly.

Damian nearly jumped out of his chair at the surprise contact. This type of action would usually be met with an attempt to remove the offending hand, but Damian was a bit ill-equipped at the moment for that. He didn’t want to remove the hand from his shoulder; Damian wanted to remove the hand from its owner’s arm. Unfortunately, he wasn’t allowed to carry a sword to school, and the attempt would take too long to accomplish with a pocket knife.

Damian also found it hard not to cry out in pain. The hand was gripping just above the graft on his shoulder blade, and the thumb was digging directly into the graft. Any other time, the gesture might have been seen as endearing. Right now, it was nearly excruciating.

“Is there room for one more at this table?”

The hand left Damian’s shoulder, and Damian turned his head to see who dared to touch him in such a familiar way. His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in rage as he reached for his knife.

“You,” Damian snarled, but was cut off by Barbara.

“You’re here,” the woman said, nearly in tears, “You’re really here.”

Dick Grayson pulled a chair up to the table and sat down, smiling brightly at Barbara, unable to take his eyes off of his fiancé. They hadn’t seen each other in over six months, and they were really wishing they weren’t in public.

If she were physically able, Barbara would have jumped out of her wheelchair and into Dick’s lap. Dick would have loved for that to happen, but he settled for the next best thing. Dick moved his chair as close to Barbara as he could get and leaned over to hug the red-haired woman tightly.

“I have missed you so much,” Dick whispered in Barbara’s ear.

“Is this for real,” Barbara asked, “Are you really back, or is this just a visit?”

“I’m home,” Dick said as he leaned back. He was unable to take his eyes off of the woman, nor was he able to wipe the dopey grin from his face. “I’ve got a lot of lost time to make up to you.”

Barbara sighed, “I’ve got to be back to work in a couple minutes. It’s the first week of school; I can’t just blow it off.”

“I’ll be back to work tomorrow, too,” Dick said, “but this weekend is all yours.”

“Wait,” Barbara said, “You’ve been gone for six months, and Bruce is going to make you go back to work the day after you get home? On a Friday, no less?”

“Bruce isn’t making me go back,” Dick said, “He doesn’t even know I’m home yet.”

Barbara looked confused, “Then, how did you know we were here? Did you just feel like getting a burger and end up here?”

“I called Alfred,” Dick said with a smile, “He said you’d be here. He asked me to give Damian a ride home. We’ll stop at the Tower on the way home.”

_Alfred must have wanted Dick to pick up Damian to give them time to talk,_ Barbara thought. “I’m sure Bruce will be happy to see you. It’s been a rough six months.”

Dick looked concerned, “Has it? He didn’t tell me that. When do you have to be back, D?”

No answer came to the question. Dick had a hard time taking his eyes off of Barbara, but he turned to find the third chair at the table empty.

“Where did he go?”

A waitress approached the table and laid a bill folder on the table. “Here’s your change. Can I get you anything else today?”

Barbara looked up, “You must have the wrong table. We didn’t pay yet.”

“Your friend paid before he left,” the waitress said, “The young guy who was here earlier. You know, short, black hair, blue sweatshirt, cute. He paid.”

“He left,” Dick asked.

“He must have had to get back for a class,” the waitress said, “We get all the college students in here.”

_He’s not going to a class,_ Barbara thought. “Speaking of that, I have to go, too. I’m late.”

“I’ll take you back,” Dick said as they left the restaurant.

Back in the parking lot, Dick helped Barbara into her car.

Dick sighed and said, “Damian wasn’t leaving to get to a class, was he?”

Barbara shook her head sadly, “He told me before lunch that he was done for the day.”

“He’s still mad at me,” Dick asked. Barbara nodded and Dick cringed. “Is no one going to tell me what I did?”

“You’re going to have to get that from the source,” Barbara said, “As far as I know, he hasn’t told anyone.”

“Why did you two have lunch today,” Dick asked.

Barbara smiled, “Because you asked him to check on me, and for as much as he doesn’t like you, he promised to do something. We’ve had lunch at least once a week the whole time you’ve been gone.”

Dick couldn’t help but smile, even though it hurt hearing that Damian hated him. “Well, what do you know? He’s a good kid. I’ll talk to you later.”

Barbara kissed Dick, then said, “Go on. See Bruce. Call me later.”

“Come over for dinner,” Dick said, “I want you there.”

“I haven’t had Alfred’s cooking in months,” Barbara said with a smile, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

_Meanwhile…_

“Can you come pick me up, please, Alfred,” Damian asked into his phone as he walked onto the Gotham State University campus.

The butler was confused by the request. “Is Master Dick not with you?”

Damian’s eyes narrowed, “Did you tell him where we were, Alfred?”

“I most certainly did,” Alfred said, “You two have not spoken in six months. It is long past time you two worked out your differences. You were also having lunch with Miss Barbara, and I believe Master Dick quite missed his fiancé.”

“And you just assumed that I would get in the car with him,” Damian asked, “Our issues can’t be worked out in public.”

“I understand that, Master Damian,” Alfred said, “Forcing yourselves to be civil is at least a way to start talking again.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Damian said, “If he wanted to talk, he had six months to figure out what to say. He could have called me any time, but he didn’t.”

“Please, Master Damian, you have to be level-headed about this.”

“No, I don’t,” Damian said, “He wants to treat me like a child, then I’ll act like a child.”

“That might make Master Dick smile,” Alfred said.

Damian sighed heavily, “I am at our pre-arranged pick-up location. Will you come pick me up, or should I call a cab?”

Alfred sighed sadly, “I shall be there in half an hour, Master Damian.”

“Thank you, Alfred.”

_Across Town…_

“Mr. Wayne, you have a visitor.”

Bruce sighed heavily at the interruption, “I don’t have time for this, Jean.”

“You have plenty of time, Mr. Wayne,” the assistant said.

Bruce shook his head, “I need to get this response finished before my meeting with Tim.”

“I cleared your schedule,” Jean said with a smile.

“Why would you do that,” Bruce asked in a shocked tone.

“Because you have a visitor,” Jean said, “Tim will be up soon.”

“This better be good, Jean,” Bruce growled, “Send them in.”

Bruce looked up as the door to his office opened, then stood slowly with his jaw sagging as Dick walked into the office.

Dick smiled as he walked across the office and asked, “Am I a good enough distraction?”

Bruce walked around his desk and pulled Dick into a tight hug, “You’re home. You’re finally home. I’ve missed you so much, Chum.”

“I’ve missed you too, Dad,” Dick said wetly.

“You haven’t called in a while,” Bruce said, “I was wondering if something had happened.”

“No,” Dick said, “Just finalizing everything enough for me to be able to leave the circus. I never thought I’d be gone for so long.”

“You came home,” Bruce said, “That’s all that matters. Alfred is going to be so surprised.”

“Well, not really,” Dick said with a smile as they walked over to Bruce’s couch, “I called him when I got into town. He knows where everyone is at all times, and gave me a good location for Barbara.”

“Why am I not surprised,” Bruce said, “Wait, did you go see her first?”

“I did,” Dick said.

Bruce cringed, “Was this before or after her lunch with Damian?”

“During,” Dick said.

“How did that work out,” Bruce asked nervously.

“Barbara was very happy to see me,” Dick said, “I don’t think Damian said anything. I, um, got a little caught up in Barbara. When I turned back to talk to him, he was gone.”

“He left without saying a word,” Bruce asked.

Dick nodded guiltily as Bruce’s office door opened again, and Tim walked into the room.

“Hey, Bruce. What’s the big idea of canceling our meeting at the last minute? We need to talk about…DICK!”

“Timmy!”

Dick stood up and caught his brother as Tim ran across the office and launched himself at the man in an attack hug.

“I’ve missed you so much, Little Brother,” Dick said as they sat on the couch. Bruce smiled at his sons.

“Are you back,” Tim asked, “Like, back for good?”

“I’ll go back to the circus a couple times a year,” Dick said, “but nowhere near as long as I was gone. Those trips will be, like, a weekend.”

“Not half a year,” Tim asked pointedly.

“I didn’t want to be gone that long,” Dick said, “I just didn’t think I could get back any sooner. To answer your question, though, I am back for good.”

“I’m glad,” Tim said.

“So, what are your plans now, Dick,” Bruce asked.

Dick turned to Bruce and said, “I’m just going to jump back into everything. I’m sure I’ve got a couple thousand emails and phone messages to return.”

“Are you just going to show up tomorrow,” Bruce asked, “or, did you stop by your department on your way up here?”

“That would have been a good idea,” Dick said thoughtfully, “I was just going to show up. How have they done in my absence?”

“We’ve had no issues,” Bruce said, “Last quarter was one of the best we’ve ever had.”

“Is it still my department,” Dick asked with a smile.

Bruce smirked, “We’ll see if they want you back. They’ve gotten along quite well without you.”

Dick sighed, “Does anyone else want me back?”

Bruce and Tim eyed each other, and Tim said, “I’ll talk to Damian before you see him. He likes me right now. I should be able to smooth some things out.”

Dick blushed, “Too late. I already saw him.”

“Oh,” Tim said, “Good.”

“Not good,” Dick said, “He wouldn’t talk to me. Alfred told me where he and Barbara were having lunch. Damian left within minutes of me showing up.”

“You two will work it out,” Bruce said as the office door opened and Jason walked into the office.

“Oh, look. The circus is in town.”

Tim looked over at Jason, then back at Dick, “Wait. _Is_ the circus in town?”

Dick smiled, “They’re doing three shows in town over the weekend. How many tickets should I get for us?”

“Can we really go,” Tim asked excitedly.

Bruce smiled at the boyish reaction, “Sure, Tim. You better get five tickets, Dick.”

Dick looked at Bruce after giving Jason a tight hug, “Five? Damian really didn’t like the circus when we were there. I don’t think I’ll have a chance of getting him to talk to me again if we force him to sit through another circus.”

“I was thinking the four of us and Barbara,” Bruce said, “Alfred has never liked the circus, either.”

“You don’t want to invite Selina,” Jason asked.

Dick’s smile brightened up the room, “Selina? Mom’s back in town?”

Bruce smiled, “Okay, six tickets.”

Tim shook his head, “Get enough tickets for everyone. Specifically leaving Damian out will make things worse than asking if he wants to go. He’ll say that he doesn’t want to go, no matter what, but let it be his decision.”

Bruce nodded slowly, “Good thinking, Tim. We’ll let it be up to him.”

Jason thought for a second, then said, “Get tickets for Saturday. He’s got a playdate Saturday night, so he will have an excuse for not going.”

Dick looked confused, “Playdate?”

Bruce rolled his eyes, “He means team training. You know, purposely planning something for Saturday might also make him think we don’t want him there.”

Dick sighed, “I’ll just get tickets for both days. Or, better yet, we’ll just say that the circus is in town and that we’re going, and if he wants to join us, then there will be a seat saved for him. If we don’t mention tickets, then he won’t think it is a set plan.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Bruce said, “So, who doesn’t know that you’re home yet?”

Dick thought for a second, “Well, I called Alfred. I saw Barbara and Damian, and now all of you. I’ll surprise my department tomorrow. Is there a League meeting this week?”

Bruce shook his head, “Next week.”

Dick shrugged, “I guess that’s everyone. So, are you all done for the day, or did I interrupt your work day?”

Tim checked his watch, “It’s only two-thirty, Dick. You actually interrupted a meeting I was supposed to be having with Bruce. Did you get that response finished, Bruce?”

Bruce sighed, “No, not yet. I was almost done when Dick showed up. Give me twenty minutes.”

Bruce walked back to his desk, and Dick turned to smile at Tim, “What’s the project, Timmy?”

“We’re looking into expanding our reach for homeless services,” Tim said, “I want to look into starting a housing project in Crime Alley.”

“Sounds like a good project, little brother,” Dick said, then turned to Jason, “Did you have any input into this, Jay?”

Jason shook his head, “First I’ve heard about it.”

“I was going to ask you for some ideas, once we get board approval,” Tim said.

Dick smirked, “The Red Hood Memorial Homeless Shelter?”

Jason rolled his eyes, “Saying it like that makes it sound like I’m dead. I bet you don’t even know the most important thing they will need, Replacement.”

“Jobs,” Tim said, “I want it staffed entirely by those who are served by the shelter. That way, they are going to be more likely to accept the services as part of their job.”

“What do you know,” Jason said with a small smile, “You might be good at this, after all.”

Tim looked over at Bruce’s desk and asked, “Do you want us to get out of your hair while you finish your response, Bruce?”

Bruce glanced up, “Only if you have something else to do. Frankly, I like having you three all together in one spot.”

Dick sighed, and Jason and Tim looked at each other. They both knew that their oldest brother was wishing it was possible for the four brothers to share a couch willingly. That might take some work, at this point.

“How did you get here, Dick,” Jason asked.

Dick looked over and said, “I’ve… _appropriated_ …my old home. It’s one less trailer for the circus to figure out how to get from place to place. I think I’m going to put a new engine in the truck and get it cleaned up a bit. Don’t know what I’m going to do with the trailer yet, but I’ve gotten used to driving the truck. It might become my daily driver for a while.”

“What’s wrong with the engine,” Jason asked.

“Nothing,” Dick said, “Except it has almost seven hundred thousand miles on it. It’s covered a lot of ground since it was built, in 1982.”

“Hey, Tim,” Bruce asked, “What else did we have to discuss for this proposal?”

“Just how big we want this to be,” Tim said, walking over to the desk, “I’m thinking something just a little smaller than Elizabeth House in North Gotham.”

Bruce looked up in confusion, “Why smaller?”

Tim took a seat across the desk from Bruce, “I don’t see this as a shelter, like Elizabeth House. I’m thinking of this more like a work program with housing.”

“Interesting,” Bruce said, “Why do you want to make them work for their assistance?”

“To give them a little step up,” Tim said, “In the hopes that they will use this as a stepping stone to look for better, higher paying, employment. Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime. That sort of thing.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Bruce said as he printed out the response. “There you go, you have my approval.”

“Have you ever said no to one of Tim’s plans,” Dick asked from the couch.

“Not when they’re as well thought out as his normal level of work is,” Bruce said, handing Tim the papers, “You’ll have to explain the program to the Board next week.”

Tim nodded as he took the papers, “I’ll get my team working on the specs. Just let me know when the meeting will be. I should get back to work.”

Tim walked back over to the couch and hugged Dick as he stood.

“Are you sure you have to go, Timmy,” Dick asked.

“If I want to get home at a decent time, I do,” Tim said, “I don’t want to miss dinner tonight. It’s going to be a good one.”

Dick cocked his head, “Oh? What’s Alfred making?”

Tim smirked, “You’ve been gone for six months. Do you honestly think he didn’t start cooking the second he got off the phone with you?”

Dick smiled warmly, “I bet you’re right. This is going to be awesome.”

_Meanwhile…_

The return ride to the manor from Gotham State University had been tense and silent. Damian sat in the back of the car, staring out of the window for the entire trip. The bare minimum of required pleasantries had passed between the pair, and Alfred was expecting to see very little of his youngest charge over the next few days.

“Master Damian, before you run off to lock yourself in your room, I require your assistance.”

Damian just barely stopped himself from sighing as he turned around to face the butler. “Yes, Alfred?”

The butler eyed the youth for a long second before saying, “As you might expect, I have quite a bit to do before your Father returns from work this evening. I would ask for your assistance with dinner. I was originally planning pork chops, but have decided to change that to pasta. We will need at least three liters of sauce, to have extra on hand. I was readying myself to make it when you requested a ride home. If you would please be so kind as to take over the preparations so I might take care of a few other items, I would be very appreciative.”

“I do have several things to do for school, Alfred,” Damian said.

“I am only asking for an hour of your time, Master Damian,” Alfred said, “I believe you will be able to craft our sauce and have plenty of time to retreat to your room, or wherever you will be avoiding your brother, before they return home. After seeing you at the restaurant, Master Dick was going to the tower to visit your Father.”

Damian thought for a second, keeping his grumble to himself, “Very well, Alfred.”

“All of the supplies you will need are in the refrigerator,” Alfred said, “I shall be upstairs, if you need me.”

Damian didn’t quite hide his sigh as he walked into the kitchen and set his backpack on a stool around the kitchen island. Damian reached up to pull a large sauce pot out of the cabinet, then pulled his arm back with a cringe and a whimper. Reaching up with his right arm had sent a flare of pain shooting through his system.

Alfred, who had been in his prep room next to the kitchen, heard the squeak of pain and hurried back into the kitchen, to find Damian gripping his shoulder.

“Master Damian, whatever is wrong?”

“My shoulder,” Damian ground out.

“Your skin graft,” Alfred asked.

Damian nodded as he turned to face the butler. “I’ve been careful with it. I’ve been trying to use it normally.”

Alfred glanced at the backpack, “Is your bookbag too heavy, young sir?”

Damian shook his head, “The only thing I have in there is my laptop. I don’t have my books yet. You’re taking me to the store to pick them up tomorrow, remember.”

“Then, what do you think caused this pain,” Alfred asked.

Damian was working his shoulder around, trying to get the sensation to leave. It had already faded, but he wanted to make sure that it was gone. “Dick. I think Dick did this.”

“Now, Master Damian,” Alfred said sternly, “I know the two of you do not get along right now, but blaming him for this will not help anything. What could he possibly have done?”

Damian looked down, realizing that blaming Dick was always going to sound childish in Alfred’s eyes, “When he found us at the restaurant, he snuck up behind me. He grabbed my shoulder and squeezed. His thumb was digging into my graft. It hurt like hell. It was all I could do to keep from yelling at him in the restaurant.”

Alfred released a breath, and the anger he was feeling at his thought of Damian trying to throw all of his problems on Dick. “I see,” Alfred said, “He had no way of knowing you have an injured shoulder, Master Damian.”

Damian glanced up sharply, “No one told him that I was nearly cooked alive in the calls that he made to everyone?”

Alfred hid his reaction professionally, but he was shocked that Damian knew about the ongoing calls. “I do not believe he was informed, Master Damian.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed, more in disappointment than anger. _Seems I’m not important enough for anyone to talk about around here._ “I see.”

_I do not like the turn in his attitude._ “Would you like me to inspect your shoulder, Master Damian?”

Damian took a breath and nodded silently.

“Let’s adjourn to your room,” Alfred said, “You can take your book bag up there at the same time.”

“Thank you,” Damian said quietly.

Upstairs, Alfred had Damian remove his shirt and inspected the graft under the lights of Damian’s bathroom. The graft was redder than the rest of Damian’s back, and had been that way since it was surgically affixed to Damian’s shoulder blade. Damian’s entire back still retained a reddish hue from the burns, but it had faded quite a bit from the violent red Alfred saw on the boy’s back in the hospital.

“Tell me, where did he grab?”

“He grabbed my shoulder tightly,” Damian said, “His thumb was digging into the left side of the graft.”

Alfred gently placed a hand on Damian’s shoulder, “Here?”

“A little to the right,” Damian said.

Alfred slid his hand closer to Damian’s arm and asked, “Here?”

Damian reached up and moved Alfred’s hand a half inch to the right and said, “Here.”

Alfred slid his thumb down Damian’s back until the boy flinched, “He squeezed there?”

“Yeah,” Damian said quietly.

Alfred turned Damian, to see the spot in the light, “There are no marks, young man. Perhaps he found a tender spot. It does feel a little softer in this area, not quite the same surface tension as the rest of your skin. Does it still hurt, Master Damian?”

“I guess not,” Damian said.

“Try lifting your arm again, please,” Alfred said.

Damian lifted his arm again, and his wince was much smaller, this time.

“Still some pain?”

“A little,” Damian said, “It’s like pushing through a block when it gets to a certain height. Like, I reach a limit, and when I push to the other side of it, there is a pain, but nothing on the other side. I don’t know if I’m describing this right.”

“I believe I understand, Master Damian,” Alfred said, “Does it hurt when you lower your arm, as well?”

Damian put his arm down again, “Actually, yes.”

Alfred thought for a second, “Have you noticed this before?”

“No,” Damian said.

Alfred’s hand returned to Damian’s shoulder, “If I may, sir? This might hurt a bit.”

“What might hurt,” Damian asked.

Alfred started rubbing the graft with his thumb in a soft massage. Damian gave the occasional wince as the butler’s thumb pressed against the tender spot on his shoulder.

“It is almost as if you have a bruise,” Alfred said, “Be conscious of the area for a few days. If it does not improve, I shall set up an appointment with Dr. Thompkins for you.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” Damian said softly, “That sounds like a good idea.”

Alfred stepped back and asked, “Would you still be willing to assist me in making the sauce for dinner?”

“Sure, Alfred,” Damian said, walking over to his dresser and pulling on a t-shirt.

“Thank you, young man.”

_Later…_

“Smells good, Alfred.”

Selina walked into the kitchen, inhaling the smells of a slowly simmering sauce. She started in shock as she saw someone completely different manning the stove.

“Thank you, Barbara,” Damian said, purposely misnaming Selina.

“Hey,” Selina said, walking over to the stove, “Mine was an accident. I wasn’t in the kitchen yet when I said Alfred’s name. You knew it was me. You don’t have to insult me.”

“Calling you Barbara is an insult, Miss Kyle,” Damian asked, stirring the pot, “Don’t you like Barbara?”

“She’s obviously your favorite woman in the house,” Selina said, “It’s not an insult, I guess. Is that the famous sauce?”

“It is,” Damian said, adjusting the heat of the stove.

“Any changes, this time?”

“I had to use store-bought garlic,” Damian said spitefully, “We had a pretty small crop this year, and we ran out already.”

Selina smiled, “You’re telling me that you have a green thumb?”

Damian looked into the pot as he stirred the sauce, “Gardening is calming. Dinah suggested it as a coping mechanism for me. At least our tomatoes looked good, and the herbs are still fresh.”

Selina shook her head slowly, “You continue to surprise me, Damian. Am I early?”

“They aren’t home from work yet,” Damian said, checking the time on the clock on the wall, “Probably won’t be for another couple hours.”

“I wonder why Bruce told me to come over so early,” Selina said idly.

“He’s probably sending Grayson back early, and wants to surprise you,” Damian said.

Selina nearly jumped in surprise, “Grayson? Dick’s home?”

“Unfortunately,” Damian grumbled.

“If it’s a surprise,” Selina said, “Why did you tell me?”

“I don’t like surprises,” Damian said darkly.

Selina eyed Damian, “You don’t like Dick, either. My offer to talk still stands, you know.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Damian said, “No one talks in this family. No one tells anyone anything important. Since communication doesn’t exist here, there’s no reason to talk.”

Selina shook her head, “That obviously includes you. You could have ended this…whatever this is, at any time. He _is_ your brother, after all. You can’t have hated him the entire time you’ve known him.”

“No,” Damian said softly, “I didn’t.”

“If you can’t talk to your brother, who can you talk to?”

Damian stayed silent for a long second, and Selina inferred from the silence something important, “You didn’t tell anyone what happened. You didn’t even talk to your girlfriend. Why did you do this to yourself?”

Damian turned away from the stove, “I didn’t do this! He did. This is all his fault.”

“And you could have been the bigger man and done something to keep yourself from hurting this much.”

“It’s his fault,” Damian said softly, “If he can’t be bothered to at least try to fix things, why should I?”

Selina took a step closer to the teen with an evil smile, “Because you can hold it over him, that you were the more grown-up one of you.”

Damian looked like he was thinking seriously, “I didn’t think of that.”

Damian turned off the stove and covered the pot as Alfred walked into the kitchen, followed closely by Tim.

“Good afternoon, Miss Kyle,” the butler said, “Have you been informed of the good news?”

“Yes, I have,” Selina said, “When will he be here? I haven’t seen Dick in years.”

Tim spoke up, smiling at the woman, “He’ll be home at the same time as Bruce. He stayed with Bruce, and will follow him home.” Tim turned to Damian, “Do you want to talk, Damian?”

Damian looked down and nodded, surprising Selina.

“The sauce is ready, Alfred,” Damian said, following Tim out of the kitchen.

“Thank you, Master Damian,” Alfred said as the brothers walked out of the kitchen. Selina looked on in shock, wondering if Damian had confided in someone after all.

Upstairs, the brothers stopped in Damian’s room.

“I’m glad to see you being nice to Selina,” Tim said.

Damian shrugged and spoke softly, “I guess she’s not too bad.”

Tim gave a small smile, “Why don’t you try telling her that sometime?”

Damian didn’t respond, so Tim said, “How can I help you, Damian? Dick is home. You can’t put this off anymore.”

“Why did he come back at all,” Damian asked, “We were just fine without him.”

“Because this is his home,” Tim said, then sighed, “I kept your promise, D. I didn’t tell anyone what he said or did to you. Not even him. That’s not going to fly anymore.”

Damian turned confused eyes on Tim, “Why does he hate me so much? What did I do to him?”

“He doesn’t hate you,” Tim said.

“Did he tell you that when he called,” Damian asked in a hostile tone.

Tim blushed, “You knew?”

“Of course, I knew,” Damian said, “I know that he called everyone important to him over the last six months. I obviously didn’t make that list.”

“He didn’t know what to say, Damian,” Tim said.

“He had six months to figure it out,” Damian said, turning his back on Tim, “Anything would have been better than the truth.”

Tim took a step forward as Damian’s voice hitched to a stop, “That was not the truth. What he said is not how he feels.”

“He sure has a funny way of showing how he feels,” Damian grumbled.

Tim shook his head and asked, “How do you feel about him? You’ve had just as much time to think as he has.”

“This is his fault,” Damian said.

“And he doesn’t know how much he hurt you,” Tim said.

“He could have called me to work it out,” Damian said, “I would have talked to him, if he had called me, but he couldn’t be bothered to do that.”

“So, how do you feel,” Tim asked again.

“I’m upset,” Damian admitted, “I’m upset at the situation he put us in.”

“How do you feel about Dick?”

“I don’t,” Damian said, “I don’t feel anything about him. He might as well be a complete stranger at this point.”

“Then, why can’t you say his name,” Tim asked, “You haven’t said Dick’s name in six months.”

“What am I supposed to think,” Damian asked, “I mean, was everything a lie? Does he really not care about throwing me away so casually? He became my legal guardian when Father was gone. Was I just an obligation that he dropped as soon as he could? What am I supposed to think about this, Tim?”

Tim pulled Damian into a gentle hug, noticing that the teen was now almost the same height as he was. “I can’t answer that,” Tim said softly, “The two of you are going to have to define your relationship going forward. Before you say you don’t want a relationship, and he ruined everything, remember that he lives right next door to you. You can only ignore him for so long. It’s going to be painful, but you two will have to talk eventually.”

Damian didn’t respond. He didn’t have a response. He knew it was going to hurt, and he wasn’t looking forward to it. For the most part, unless someone had mentioned Dick around him, Damian had tried his hardest to forget about Dick.

Tim shook his head as Damian rested his chin on Tim’s shoulder, “He’s here, now. He’s going to want to talk. Bruce is going to want you two to talk. You know that Alfred will _make_ you two talk.”

Damian sighed roughly, “Why didn’t he call me? He called everyone else. Why not me? He knew I was mad at something, and he just let it go. Am I not worth his time? What am I supposed to think about that, Tim?”

“Don’t be mad at him,” Tim said, “That won’t help anything. It was a confusing time, and you know this is something that should be handled in person. He said today at the Tower that he didn’t think he would be away for as long as he was.”

“Don’t be mad at him? I should be mad at all of you,” Damian grumbled, “Yeah, he didn’t call me. None of you talked to him about me, or told him anything that happened with me, either. Alfred said he didn’t know about the fire, when I told him about Dick squeezing my shoulder at the restaurant. I’m guessing no one told him about anything else that happened to me. The old him never would have ignored that. I don’t know about the new him. I don’t even know if I _want_ to know the new him.”

“You know Bruce won’t let that fly,” Tim said, taking a step back, “and Dick won’t stop until he can talk to you. Bruce and I both made sure he knows that you two have a lot to work on.”

The brothers fell silent for a moment before Tim asked curiously, “What happened at the restaurant?”

Damian looked down, “Like I said, when he came up to the table, he snuck up behind me and grabbed my shoulder.”

Tim smirked, “He snuck up on you?”

“I was talking with Barbara,” Damian said in a slightly annoyed tone, “We were having a good talk, and I was focused on that. He squeezed my graft, and it hurt like hell. He better not have known about my injury, otherwise he really is an asshole who wants to deliberately hurt me.”

Tim eyed Damian, “It sounds like you’re holding out hope that you two can get over your issues. All you have to do is talk to each other calmly. I know you’re capable of that.”

“I was holding out hope,” Damian said softly, “It’s…it’s been too long, now.”

“No, it hasn’t,” Tim said, patting Damian’s left shoulder, “It’s not going to be easy, letting go of your hurt, but it’s not too late. Listen, I’ll be there for you two. If you need a referee, I’m there.”

Both brothers turned their heads as they heard noises from downstairs.

Tim looked back at Damian and said, “They’re home. You can’t hide anymore. Are you ready?”

Damian was quaking at the thought of facing Dick again, “No, I’m not. I’ll see you at dinner. I have school stuff to do.”

Tim would have thought that was a cop-out, if Damian wasn’t currently in the first week of his last year of college. “Okay. I’ll see you at dinner. I’ll help you, however you need.”

_Later…_

“Damian?”

“Not yet.”

“Damian.”

“In a minute.”

“Damian!”

Damian pushed his chair back from his desk with a smile, “There. Done.” Damian looked over at his father, who was standing in his open bedroom door, “I’m late to dinner, right?”

“Yes,” Bruce said, nodding, “What are you doing?”

“Since I dropped my classes last semester, and didn’t take a summer class, I had to reset all of my school accounts,” Damian said, “That took longer than I thought.”

Bruce glanced at the laptop screen. He let the excuse go, because the screen was showing the Gotham State University website. “Is that all you were doing? You’re not hiding from Dick, are you?”

Damian released a breath, “I don’t know how I feel about this, Father. He should have called first. He should have called me.”

“Maybe,” Bruce said, “Now, you two can get it all out, and get past whatever is holding you back.”

“You make it sound so easy, Father.”

Bruce walked up behind Damian and gently squeezed his neck in a familiar massage, “No matter what happened, you two are brothers. I know you still care for him, no matter what you say. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have checked up on Barbara as much as you did.”

Damian glanced up, then leaned back into the massage and spoke softly, “I’m not ready for this, Dad. I should be, but I’m not.”

Bruce gave a small smile, “Why do you think I came up here to get you for dinner? We haven’t allowed Dick to come up here, precisely because I know you don’t feel you’re ready. I don’t want you two to fight. Just talk, if you can.”

Damian looked extremely nervous, “Not at dinner, right?”

“No, not at dinner,” Bruce said, “I know that expecting you to hold a serious conversation during meals is too much. One of these days, you’ll have to tell me why you don’t feel comfortable speaking at the table.”

Damian looked down and nodded, “Yes, Father.”

“Let’s go.”

_Downstairs…_

Damian followed his father into the dining room, but hesitated at the door. He glanced into the room nervously, but was surprised to only find Bruce and Selina in the space.

“I thought you said I was late for dinner, Father?”

Bruce winked at his son, “I didn’t say you were the only one who was late.”

Damian walked back into the hall and looked at the time on the grandfather clock. He walked back into the dining room, shaking his head, “It’s not even seven yet.”

Bruce shrugged, “I thought it would take longer to get you down here. I started early.”

For the second time today, Damian’s shoulders were grabbed tightly from behind. Unlike earlier, Damian didn’t have to rein in his reaction, this time.

“Looking for me, Little Brother?”

Damian jumped at the surprise contact, then turned on instinct, raising an arm to dislodge the hands from his shoulders. Damian then grabbed Dick’s right wrist as he turned and pulled the older man forward. He spun Dick into the wall, shoving his hand forcefully into the older man’s shoulder while twisting his arm, threatening to break the arm.

“That is the second time you’ve done that today,” Damian growled, “Do not touch me.”

“Enough, Damian,” Bruce said, “That’s enough.”

“D, let him go,” Tim said from next to Damian, placing a hand gently on Damian’s left arm, “Come on, now isn’t the time.”

Damian held Dick’s arm for a handful of painful seconds before letting go and stepping back. Tim ushered Damian to the other side of the table, to sit between him and Selina.

Dick was rolling his arm around, to try to lessen the pain in his shoulder, “Not exactly the hug I was anticipating.”

“You shouldn’t have been anticipating a hug at all,” Damian grumbled quietly. Only Tim and Selina heard him.

Dick moved a chair for Barbara, then sat down and asked, “What did I do to deserve that, D?”

There was pure loathing in Damian’s eyes when he said, “Why don’t you ask someone you actually bothered to talk to over the last six months?”

Dick opened his mouth, but Bruce said firmly, “Enough. You two can work out your issues after dinner.”

_That’s not going to happen_ , Damian thought.

Dinner was served, and Damian fell into his normal silent meal mode. The conversation seemed to flow around him. He wasn’t exactly paying attention to what was going on in any other part of the room other than his dinner plate.

Tim gave Damian a light elbow to the side once the boy’s plate had been cleared.

“You’re ignoring everyone,” Tim murmured.

“You know a better way to keep from fighting,” Damian murmured back.

Tim shrugged. It actually sounded like Damian was thinking it through, before he did something to ruin everyone’s night.

Bruce leaned forward and said, “So, I’ve been informed that the circus is in town for the weekend. Would anyone care to go see it?”

Damian glanced over at his father interestedly, “The circus is in town?”

The entire table held their breath as Damian actually sounded interested in the occasion.

“They’re doing three shows in town this weekend,” Dick said.

Damian barely kept the hate out of his voice when he asked, “So, does that mean that this is only a stop-off for you? You aren’t actually staying?”

_Why does he sound excited about that,_ Dick thought. “No, I’m staying. The circus and I are parting ways when they pull out of town on Sunday.”

“Oh,” Damian said dejectedly.

“Would you like to go to the circus, Damian,” Bruce asked carefully.

“Not particularly,” Damian said, “Too loud for me.”

“We started a sensory-friendly show,” Dick said, “There are a lot of people with issues with loud noises. We quiet things down for the show. Some movie theaters do that now, too. The matinee show on Saturday is sensory-friendly, if you’re interested.”

“I’m not interested,” Damian said dismissively.

“What else do you have to do on Saturday,” Jason asked.

“A lot, actually,” Damian said, “I have homework already. I can’t start it until I get my books tomorrow. I have some research do to for my case, too. Then, I have team training Saturday night. Sorry, Grayson. Maybe you should have called ahead.”

Dick understood the jab. He also felt a sense of loss that Damian referred to him as Grayson, instead of Dick.

Dick took a breath, “Well, if you change your mind, we’ll save you a seat.”

The entire group was eyeing Damian, and could see the unsaid _don’t bother_ just barely fail to escape the teen’s lips. They were all very glad that Damian left the sentiment unsaid.

Alfred was walking around the table, setting champagne flutes in front if the diners.

Damian eyed the glass warily, “What is this?”

“Champagne,” Bruce said, “It’s a special occasion. I don’t think one glass will hurt you.”

“Are you sure about this,” Damian asked softly.

Bruce smiled at the boy, “This is a good day. We’re all together again. This deserves a celebration.”

Tim leaned over to Damian and whispered, “Just take a sip, to keep up appearances. You’re doing a good job, keeping it together, so far. I’m proud of you. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to finish the glass.”

Damian whispered back, “What I meant is, is it a good idea to give Grayson alcohol?”

Tim looked over at his oldest brother, then whispered, “I guarantee he will not react the same way to this one glass of champagne as he did to whatever he drank at the circus.”

Bruce raised his glass and said, “A toast, to having all my boys under one roof again. Let’s hope it stays this way for a long time to come. Cheers!”

Damian picked up his glass, staring at the effervescing amber liquid for a long handful of seconds. It seemed the room was waiting for him to take a sip, so he did. Damian’s face contracted at the taste, and it was all he could do to keep from spitting out the small sip.

Damian gasped, “Oh! No. No, I don’t like that at all.”

Selina smiled at the teen, “Champagne is an acquired taste, Damian.” Selina took a sip of her glass, and had the same reaction as the teen, “but this…isn’t. There’s something wrong with this champagne, Bruce.”

Bruce took his own sip, and cringed, “Oh, no. No, that’s not right. Alfred?”

“Sir,” the butler said, walking back into the room.

“The champagne has turned, Alfred,” Bruce said.

“Tastes like vinegar and club soda,” Damian said, wondering how to get the taste out of his mouth.

“My apologies,” Alfred said, “This bottle isn’t that old. A good champagne is supposed to last many years. I don’t know what could have happened with this one.”

Alfred cleared away the glasses, and Bruce said embarrassedly, “Well, let’s hope that isn’t an omen of things to come.”

“Shall I bring out something else, Master Bruce,” Alfred asked.

“No, Alfred,” Bruce said, “It was a good thought, but we don’t need to do that.”

“Very well, sir.”

The butler left the dining room, and Tim leaned over to Damian and whispered, “Now you don’t have to worry about Dick getting drunk.”

“Thanks for the toast, Bruce,” Dick said, “It’s the thought that counts.”

“So, what’s next,” Bruce asked, “Are you sure you want to go back to work tomorrow?”

“We need to start getting our lives back to normal,” Dick said, “I want to jump back in with both feet.”

Bruce looked Dick up and down, “That doesn’t go for everything, though. You look a little…smaller…than you did before you left.”

Dick sighed, “When you don’t use your muscles, you lose them. There has been no ‘Nightwing-ing’ for the last six months.”

“There won’t be any for a little while, either,” Bruce said, nodding, “You’ll have to build up a little first.”

Dick smiled at Damian, “Think I can join your group for a little training, Little Brother?”

“No,” Damian said flatly.

The table fell uncomfortably silent for a minute before Bruce said, “Well, we don’t have to hang around here. We can take this somewhere more comfortable.”

Damian didn’t waste a second in exiting the dining room. He headed for the stairs, but heard someone following him. Damian didn’t need to turn around to know that it was Dick.

Damian stopped at the base of the grand staircase and said, “If you touch me again, I _will_ break your hand.”

The teen could feel Dick’s hand hovering over his shoulder as the older man released a breath, “Come on, Damian. Can’t we just talk? You’ve barely even looked at me since I’ve been home. What happened at the restaurant? You disappeared before I could even say hello.”

Damian turned around and glared at Dick, “Is that all you want? Hello, then. And goodbye.”

“Hello,” Dick said with an awkward smile.

Damian looked Dick up and down, and had to agree with his father. The man did seem smaller than he remembered. Damian had grown a little in the last half year, but not enough for Dick to appear this much smaller.

“Are you done,” Damian asked testily.

Dick’s look fell, “Am I not worth a couple minutes of conversation, to catch up?”

Damian looked down, then raised his head with a snarl, “I’ve been asking myself that same question for the last six months.”

Dick looked at Damian strangely, “Well, now we have all the time…”

“ _If_ you’ll excuse me,” Damian interrupted, “I have things to do. I promised Robin I’d call her before patrol tonight. You’re familiar with the concept of _calling_ someone, right? It’s where you pick up the phone and talk to the people who are important to you.”

“Okay, I get it,” Dick said, “I didn’t call, but neither did you.”

Damian had to grab on to the bannister to keep himself from attacking Dick, “You actually thought I was going to call you, after what you did? The only reason you’re still standing right now is because I promised Father that we wouldn’t fight today. I made no such promise about tomorrow.”

“What did I do, Damian,” Dick asked desperately, “Help me out here.”

“The sad thing is, you really don’t remember,” Damian said, heading up the stairs, “What’s even sadder is that it took you six months to grow a pair, to try to find out. I was on your time before, but now you’re on mine, and your time is up. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of my way for the next six months. You said the circus is leaving town on Sunday. Why don’t you do the smart thing and leave with them? That’s where you belong.”

Dick stared in slack-jawed shock as Damian disappeared into the Residence Wing.

_Saturday…_

Over the two days since Dick had returned home, Wayne Manor had turned into a silent war zone. The battle line was drawn clearly between the first and second bedrooms on the left hand side of the upstairs hallway. If they were available, Damian would have laid a line of sandbags and barbed wire between the rooms. The only consolation for the innocent bystanders was that it had turned into a cold war. There were no open hostilities, but the cold shoulders were icy and frozen, and it was a guarantee that Damian would stalk out of a room whenever Dick entered one.

That said, it is very easy for a cold war to turn hot. Dick had gone out of his way to try to get Damian to talk to him. He tried to corner the teen, so they could talk. He purposely followed Damian around, until Damian ordered Titus to attack him, and it looked like the dog was actually going to follow the order. He even called Damian’s cell phone, to say he called. It ended quickly, when Damian hung up the phone and blocked Dick’s number. Bruce had to step in when Damian started yelling at midnight, because Dick had tried to climb into bed with him. Had Bruce been a handful of seconds later, he would have had to disarm his son, who had been reaching for the knife he kept under his pillow when Bruce walked into the room and separated the boys.

It came as a relief when the family left for the circus on Saturday night, and Damian stayed home. No one even questioned the teen when he said he wasn’t going with the rest of the family. After only two days home, Dick was wondering if he should leave town with the circus.

Damian had two glorious hours between the time when the family left for the circus and when he had to leave for team training. Unfortunately, his mind was not in a place to relax in the time he had. Instead, fifteen minutes after the family left, Damian dressed and left for Mount Justice, to prepare for tonight’s lesson.

Robin had just as much difficulty concentrating as Damian did, and his lesson plans never materialized. He knew he had to do something to calm himself before his team arrived. Robin had an idea, and executed it, hoping it would help.

Across from the training room in Mount Justice is the Gym, and that is where Speedy found Robin. She was the first person to arrive tonight, and was confused when the training room was empty.

Speedy carefully approached the treadmill where Robin was running. “Hey, Robin. You okay?”

Robin was sweating profusely and, Speedy assumed, staring straight ahead, as he said, “Good evening. We don’t have plans for tonight. It’s physical fitness training. You’re on your own.”

“Okay,” Speedy said slowly, “Is there anything special I should work on?”

“Whatever you think you’re weak in,” Robin said, wiping a glove across his sweaty forehead, “Just don’t hurt yourself.”

Beast Boy walked into the Gym and asked Speedy, “Hey, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Speedy said softly, “He said we were doing physical fitness tonight, and to get working.”

Beast Boy eyed Speedy, “Last week he said we were going to discuss hostage situations, and how to deescalate bad guys.”

Speedy shrugged, “Maybe he forgot. Anyway, he didn’t sound like he was in too good a mood.”

“Right,” Beast Boy said.

They kept an eye on Robin as they both chose an area of exercise. Robin just kept running. Running had always worked to clear his head. He just hoped it would work this time. There was a lot to clear out.

Superboy and the speedster twins entered the gym and froze as they saw Robin running on the treadmill.

Superboy leaned over to the twins and said, “Uh-oh. Something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean,” Mercury asked.

“Robin is running,” Superboy said.

“I can see that,” Mercury said, “So what?”

“If Robin wanted us to be doing physical fitness night, he would be using the weights,” Superboy said.

Impulse nodded, “Right. Robin said he runs to clear his head.”

Mercury shook his head, “He runs for exercise, too. I’ve seen him do it.”

“Yes, he will,” Impulse said, “but he would have turned some music on in here if this was a regular training night. No music means he’s thinking.”

Superboy took a breath, “This might turn into a therapy night. I’ll talk to him.”

Superboy walked over and stood in front of the treadmill, “Robin…”

“Get to work,” Robin interrupted.

“Not until you tell us what’s going on,” Superboy said firmly, “We know you too well, Robin. We can tell when there is something wrong with you. Talk to me, to us. Let us help you.”

Robin finally looked down and released a breath as Superboy waved the rest of the team over. “You’re not going to give this up until I talk, right?”

Superboy smiled, “You’re learning. Tell us what’s going on.”

Robin turned the treadmill off and let himself slide off the back of the belt. He looked around at his team, who were nervously watching the older teen, before saying, “Grayson’s back.”

Superboy, Impulse, and Mercury all gasped and smiled.

“Uncle Dick is home,” Superboy asked excitedly.

“Yes,” Robin said, looking down.

“I take it that ‘Grayson’ and ‘Uncle Dick’ are the same person,” Beast Boy asked.

Robin nodded, “Nightwing. Dick Grayson. Same person.”

“Can you tell us what happened now,” Mercury asked nervously, “He was just gone one day, and you got really weird.”

Robin released a breath, “I suppose so. Beast Boy, you don’t know any of this, so I’ll try to make a long story short. Grayson was raised in a traveling circus. His parents were killed during a show. Turned out to be murder. The circus was in Gotham at the time, and local officials wouldn’t let him leave with the circus, because his parents were his last living blood relatives. Father was there that night, at the circus, and saw what happened. He tried to adopt Grayson, because he thought their stories were similar, and he felt he had to do something. Father became Grayson’s guardian. Meanwhile, the guy who ran the circus also wanted to take Grayson in, but the local authorities wouldn’t allow it because they didn’t think a traveling circus was a safe place for an orphan to grow up. The man who runs the circus, Mr. Haly, was like a grandfather to Grayson. They were close enough for Mr. Haly to name Grayson as his legal heir.”

Robin took a deep breath, “Six months ago, Grayson got a call from the circus. Mr. Haly had a heart attack and asked to see Grayson. He started the process of giving the circus to Grayson. All of us went out to where the circus was, to support Grayson. He obviously didn’t appreciate what we did for him.”

“What does that mean,” Impulse asked.

“The three of us dropped everything to support him,” Robin said, “but he didn’t look to us for support. He looked for his support at the bottom of a bottle, and when he didn’t find it in one, he moved on to another.”

“I don’t get it,” Superboy said.

Robin looked at the young boy for a minute before saying, “Instead of talking to us, he decided to get drunk, and that’s the problem. Grayson can’t hold his liquor. He gets…mean. Abusive.”

Beast Boy leaned forward with widened eyes, “Abusive? To everyone?”

Robin sniffled, surprising his team, “To whoever he sees when he’s in the mood.”

Speedy shook her head, “He saw you, didn’t he?”

Robin nodded silently. Impulse, Mercury, and Superboy all eyed each other. They knew just how much Damian idolized Dick. They knew how much Damian hurt over the last few months. They had no idea anything like this had happened.

Impulse took a step closer to Robin and asked softly, “How bad did it get?”

Robin turned and started pacing. The team followed him, pacing in his wake. “I can take abuse; you all know that. What he did didn’t hurt all that much. It was more of a surprise than anything. I let it happen. I know how he gets when he is drunk, and I convinced myself that, if we could get past whatever was bothering him, we could work everything out later. Except, we couldn’t. He took it too far. Grayson knows me very well. He knows my past, and my fears, and my issues. He knows just where to push, exactly what to say, to hurt me. He pushed all the right buttons, and if that was all that happened, then…well, it would have hurt, and it would have been uncomfortable between us for a while, but it wouldn’t have escalated as far as it did.”

Robin stopped and turned around, almost running into his team in the process. “Hitting me didn’t hurt nearly as much as telling me he wished I’d never been born.”

The team gasped, and Mercury said, “Ah, man. You know he doesn’t actually wish that. Uncle Dick would never think that.”

“That’s what I thought,” Robin said, “If he’d acted like himself afterwards, I might have forgiven him, but he didn’t.”

“What didn’t he do,” Impulse asked.

Robin had to swallow hard before he could say, “Anything. He didn’t do anything. One of the side effects of Grayson drinking is memory issues. He doesn’t remember anything that happened between us.”

“So, tell him,” Beast Boy said, “Get it out. You’ll feel better.”

“It’s not that simple,” Robin said, “Like I said, this all happened six months ago. From the day it happened, until this past Thursday, Grayson hasn’t spoken to me. He was gone for half a year, and he never bothered to call me. Even knowing his actions and reactions to being drunk, I never thought he would just…ignore me. It’s like…it’s like…I stopped existing, in his mind.”

Superboy wiped at his eyes at the story. “That’s why you’ve been so on-edge lately? Why didn’t you tell us before?”

“Because it’s my problem,” Robin said, “Not yours.”

“We’re a family, Rob,” Mercury said, “If you can’t talk to your family, what’s the point of having a family?”

Robin took a shaky breath, “Grayson was my family, too. I…I didn’t want to think about everything, about all of this. Now, I don’t have a choice. He’s back.”

“And, he doesn’t remember what happened,” Superboy asked.

Robin shook his head, “No.”

“Talk to him,” Superboy said immediately, “Actually talk; don’t act…like you. Don’t bottle this up.”

“I’ve been bottling this up for six months,” Robin said, “I don’t know if I can talk to him calmly.”

Beast Boy shrugged, “Then, don’t talk to him calmly. Yell, scream, shout, cry, throw things. Just…don’t throw a brother away over something you can overcome.”

Robin lifted his head and stared at Beast Boy, as if he was seeing the green teen for the first time. After a silent minute, Robin said, “You’re the first person who has recommended that. Everyone else has said to talk to him calmly.”

“You’re not calm,” Beast Boy said, “You haven’t been calm in a long time, and you aren’t going to be calm until you can let off some of this pressure. Do it, before you explode.”

“Where did you come up with that,” Speedy asked.

Beast Boy blushed a bit, “Dinah is a good therapist.”

“You’re still seeing her,” Robin asked.

“Yeah,” Beast Boy said, “Didn’t she tell you something similar?”

“I haven’t talked to her in a week or so,” Robin said, “but she probably would tell me to do that. I wanted to put off my next session until after I started school again. We started this week. I was going to see her again next weekend. Maybe I should call her sooner?”

“Probably not a bad idea,” Beast Boy said. “Of course, if she’s going to tell you the same thing as I did, maybe you can just move on to the next step? We’ve got some heavy duty punching bags here. Why don’t you make use of one?”

Robin turned and looked at the punching bags, suspended from the ceiling of the gym, “That might not be a bad idea. Running usually helps me clear my head. It wasn’t working tonight. Hitting something might help.”

Robin looked around at his team, “Um, thanks. I needed this.”

“We know,” Superboy said with a smile, “Go on. Hit something. We’re here for you, when you want to talk. Just like you’re here for us.”

_Tuesday…_

Damian had tried to follow his friends’ suggestions and just let it go, but that hadn’t been as easy as he hoped. He had tried to follow his brother’s suggestions and talk to Dick, but that hadn’t worked, either. Every time he was alone, Damian found himself wanting to talk, but as soon as he saw Dick, his gut filled with anger, and it was all he could do to keep from launching an attack.

Dick, for his part, had kept reaching out to Damian, wondering how to finally get through to the boy. Damian had been mad at him before, but he couldn’t remember anything like this happening in the past between them. He was determined to get past the teen’s defenses, but wasn’t sure he would like the process.

Just before midnight, Dick snuck down the hall and into Damian’s room. He took it as a good sign that the door was unlocked. He had tried climbing into bed with Damian on his first night in town, and that had failed dramatically. Tonight, Dick opted for a safer distance, and dragged Damian’s desk chair next to the bed.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Grayson,” Damian said, still looking like he was sleeping.

“This has gone on long enough,” Dick said, “I obviously did something terrible to you. Why aren’t you telling me what I did?”

“Why are you bugging me at midnight on a school night,” Damian asked back, “I have a class at eight, I don’t need you interrupting my sleep. In fact, I don’t need you at all.”

“That hurts, Damian,” Dick said, “I’m trying here, you can at least look at me.”

“Why,” Damian asked, “You knew something was wrong, and you didn’t try then. Why should I believe that you’re going to try now?”

“Because I’m here,” Dick said, leaning forward, “I honestly didn’t think I would be gone for six months. I didn’t want to be gone that long.”

“But that didn’t stop you from staying gone that long,” Damian said softly, “That didn’t stop you from doing what you did, then ignoring me for half a year.”

“What did I do,” Dick asked desperately, “Please, let me help you.”

Damian turned over and sat up quickly, “That’s the last thing I need, or want. You’re barking up the wrong tree, so just…go away.”

Dick released a breath through his nose, “Oh, Damian. You’re hurting so much.”

“You should know,” Damian snarled, “You’re the one who hurt me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care. I don’t believe you.”

Dick closed his eyes, “How can I help this get better?”

“You can’t,” Damian said, “It’s too late for that. You had six months of chances, and you blew them all. For the last time, go away.”

“I can’t just leave you like this, D…”

Dick trailed off as Bruce shoved Damian’s door open, pausing the increasingly loud argument. “What the hell is going on in here? You have school in the morning, Damian.”

“That’s what I told him,” Damian said, “He refuses to stop bothering me.”

Bruce sighed, “You two need to get over this. Get it out of your systems. If you’re going to fight, go downstairs, where you are not going to bother anyone else.”

Damian stared at Bruce for a long second before throwing back his blanket and climbing out of bed.

“Where are you going,” Dick asked.

“Downstairs,” Damian said, “You obviously aren’t going to go away on your own. I’ll end this, once and for all.”

Damian walked with purpose past Bruce. The older men could hear Damian stomping down the stairs. Dick shrugged and followed Damian downstairs.

“Did we have to come all the way down to the Cave, D?”

Oldest and youngest siblings walked into the Batcave. Dick walked, while Damian stalked.

Damian stopped with his back to Dick and spoke softly, “Don’t call me that.”

“Call you what?”

“D,” Damian said, “Don’t call me that. You don’t get to call me that anymore. You lost that privilege.”

Dick sighed, “I get it, you’re upset. You don’t have to be this stubborn.”

Damian turned to face Dick, “You don’t have to be here at all. We got along just fine without you.”

“Is that so,” Dick asked, “That’s not the way I hear it.”

“Well, we did,” Damian said, “What makes you think you can just walk in here like nothing happened and expect everything to be fine?”

“If you haven’t noticed,” Dick said, “You’re the only one who seems to have a problem with me being back.”

Damian crossed his arms over his chest, “Would you know that because you talked to all of us?”

“I have,” Dick said.

“When,” Damian shot back, “In the six days since you’ve been home, or the six months you were gone?”

Dick sighed, “Come on, Damian. Just talk to me.”

“Oh, now you want to talk,” Damian scoffed, “I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”

“Then, why are we down here, Damian,” Dick asked.

“We’re here because Father said we couldn’t fight upstairs,” Damian said.

Dick stared for a second before sighing deeply, “Is that all we have left, Damian?”

“You made your feelings quite clear,” Damian said, “I see nothing else.”

“Well, I do,” Dick said, “I see a lot unsaid between us. Six months is a long time.”

“Yes, it is,” Damian growled.

“Which means we have a lot to talk about,” Dick said.

“I only see two things,” Damian said.

Dick nodded, “That’s a start. What do you want to talk about?”

“I don’t want to talk,” Damian said, “I told you, I want to fight.”

“How about we just argue,” Dick proposed with a smile, “It’s late.”

“That’s just like you,” Damian said, shaking his head, “Always avoiding the real issues.”

“Damian, just calm down,” Dick said, “Let’s just sit down and talk about this. We’ll get more accomplished.”

Damian shook his head, “Oh, no. No, you don’t. You’re not going to ‘Grayson’ me into sweeping everything under the rug. I’m allowed to be mad at you. I’m entitled, after what you did.”

Dick walked closer and grabbed Damian’s upper arms, “Damian, please. We can talk.” Dick looked down at his hands, feeling the solid, flexing muscles under his hands, “Wow, you’ve been working out.”

Snarling, Damian jerked his arms, knocking Dick’s hands off of his biceps, before throwing a straight punch into the center of Dick’s chest. Dick staggered back at the unexpected strike, then bent nearly double when Damian followed it up by sinking a fist deep in Dick’s stomach. An uppercut to Dick’s jaw stood the man up again, while a kick to his chest, almost exactly in the same spot as the first punch, sent Dick flopping to his back.

_He really is upset,_ Dick thought, _he’s not pulling his punches, like he used to when we would spar to blow off steam._

Damian wished he was wearing shoes, and Dick was glad the teen wasn’t, when Damian started aiming kicks and stomps at Dick’s chest and stomach.

“Calm down, Little Brother,” Dick said between blocking kicks.

“I’m quite calm,” Damian replied, “but I’m not your Little Brother anymore.”

Dick caught Damian’s foot and held on to it, to stop the assault, “Don’t say that, Damian. We can work this out. What can I do, Damian?”

Damian ripped his foot out of Dick’s grasp, “You can hold still while I stomp your face into the ground.”

Dick rolled away before Damian could continue his assault. Getting to his feet, Dick took a stance before saying, “If you need to get your anger out of your system, that’s fine, but we’re going to talk first.”

“I see no reason to do that,” Damian said as he threw a jab at Dick’s face.

Dick blocked the jab and said, “A minute ago, you said we had two things to talk about. Were they both hitting me?”

Damian threw another punch, which Dick blocked. “The fact that you’re even asking me that proves how little you understand what’s going on.”

“Damian, this isn’t solving anything,” Dick said as he jumped over a leg sweep, “How can I make this better if you won’t even tell me what’s wrong?”

Dick was very glad that Damian had no Kryptonian DNA, because the look Damian was giving him would have incinerated Dick on the spot in an instant.

“You know what’s wrong,” Damian snarled, “You know what you did, and what you didn’t.”

Dick sighed, “Yes, I know what I did. We didn’t talk. Not too sure about what you mean, what I didn’t, though.”

Dick winced as a blow connected with his ribs. “If you know what you did, then it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out what you didn’t do.”

Dick rolled his eyes, then caught Damian’s wrist as the boy threw another punch. “Damian, enough of this. Just talk to me.”

Damian twisted his arm, breaking out of Dick’s grasp, and threw three quick jabs, two of which connected with Dick’s chin.

“No,” the teen said, “I’m not done being mad at you.”

Dick grinned, “And, you know, if we talk, you’ll stop being mad at me.”

Dick tried to grab Damian in a bear hug. Damian rolled out of the way, then tried to launch a drop kick at Dick’s back. The brothers were moving in opposite directions, so Damian’s feet just barely touched Dick’s back.

Dick turned quickly and pounced on Damian while he was still on the ground, laying on his stomach. Dick pinned Damian’s arms to his side while sitting on the teen.

“This is over now, Damian,” Dick said, “I let you get away with acting childish. Now, we’re going to talk like adults.”

“Yeah, because sitting on me is really mature,” Damian spat.

“If it allows us to talk,” Dick said, “then this is what I’ll have to do. Clarify your point. I apparently did something so heinous, that we haven’t talked in six months. Now, start from the top and tell me what I did.”

Damian finally sighed, and Dick could feel some of the fight draining out of the teen. “We didn’t talk for six months.”

“I know,” Dick said, “but tell me what’s wrong.”

“I just did,” Damian snapped.

_Oh, wow,_ Dick thought, _that’s…that’s the reason? He’s not mad that I stayed with the circus? He’s only mad that we didn’t talk while I was gone?_

“Is that it,” Dick asked, “Are you blaming me for you getting mad at me and not calling? Why are you mad at me? You didn’t call me.”

“Neither did you,” Damian said.

“Because you were mad at me, and I wasn’t in the mood to get yelled at,” Dick said.

“You did it first,” Damian said softly.

“What,” Dick asked.

Damian tried to roll over, but Dick held him in place. “Get off me,” Damian said.

“No,” Dick said.

“I said, get off me,” Damian said, louder this time.

“If I do, are we going to talk, or are you going to attack again?”

“We can talk,” Damian grumbled.

Dick sat for another handful of seconds before moving off of his brother. Damian rolled away, and looked like he was going to bolt from the Cave. Dick was ready to run after the boy, but Damian stayed.

“What do you mean, I did it first,” Dick asked.

Damian’s eyes narrowed, “Are you being dense to annoy me, or do I mean so little to you that you actually forgot?”

Dick looked down, “I’m sure it feels that way, Damian, but I do love you. What happened? What did I do that hurt you so much?”

Damian sighed sadly, “So, you really don’t remember.”

“Help me out here,” Dick said desperately, “I want to make this right.”

Damian glanced up with his lip curled in a snarl, “It’s a little too late to make it right. Too much time has passed. Do you remember the last time we talked?”

Dick nodded, “At the airport. I did drop a bomb on all of you, staying with the circus with no notice.”

Damian shook his head, “No, not that. We didn’t talk then. I mean the last time you and I talked, just the two of us.”

Dick thought for half a minute before shaking his head, “I’m sorry, I don’t remember. What did we talk about?”

“We didn’t talk,” Damian said, “I wanted to talk. I got two words out before you tried biting my head off.”

“I did,” Dick asked, still not remembering the interaction. Most of that week was a blur to the man, and six months of separation from the incident didn’t help. Slowly, a vague memory slid through the haze of Dick’s mind, and he gasped as the incident started to coalesce in his mind. With a shaky lip, Dick asked, “That wasn’t the last time we talked, was it?”

Damian couldn’t meet Dick’s gaze, “You yelled at me, stormed off, didn’t talk to me the whole next day, then dropped us at the airport the day after. The next time I saw or heard from you was at the restaurant, a couple days ago.”

“Damian, I’m sorry,” Dick said.

“And you really think that makes it better,” Damian asked angrily, “You said a lot of things that sorry just doesn’t cover.”

Dick sniffled, “What can I do, Damian?”

“Nothing,” Damian snarled, then sighed, “Six months ago, you could have done something. I’ve had six months to think about what you said, and I still don’t know what I did to deserve that.”

“I screwed up, Damian,” Dick said, “I was upset, and I took it out on you, and that was wrong. You didn’t do anything. You could have called me, to work this out, you know.”

“Why,” Damian asked, “Why would I call you? I wasn’t going to willingly put myself in a position to be yelled at again.”

“Did you talk to anyone about it?”

Damian shook his head, “I…I didn’t know who I could trust.”

“What do you mean,” Dick asked.

Damian looked up, and Dick was shocked at the pain in Damian’s eyes. “If the person who knew me the best could turn on me the way you did, if the person I trusted most could…do what you did, then what was everyone else capable of? You made me second guess my family. You made me second guess Father, and Tim, and even Alfred. I…I didn’t know who I could trust anymore.”

Dick reached out to Damian, but Damian slapped his hand away, “No. If there’s one thing I’m not going to allow, it’s that. Father trusts you. Alfred trusts you. I don’t. Since Father trusts you, I can stand you living in the same house, but you will _not_ enter my room again. Since Alfred trusts you, I can stand seeing you at meals, but not in-between.”

“Damian, I wasn’t in my right mind,” Dick said desperately, “I was in a really bad place. I never meant to hurt you.”

Damian leaned back and spoke in an unnervingly low, steely tone, “You told me you wished I’d never been born. You said that Father ruined everyone’s lives by taking me in. You called me useless, and an annoyance that you wished was out of your life. Well, you got your wish. I’m out of your life. I won’t bother you with my existence again.”

Damian stood, and Dick reached out to him again, “Damian, please. I’m sorry. I never should have said that to you. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Well, you did,” Damian said flatly. He started to walk away, but stopped after a couple steps, turned back, and screamed at the man, “I TRUSTED YOU! I LOVED YOU! I only wanted to help, and you thought more of the elephant shit on your shoe than of your brother. Excuse me, EX-brother. I’m not a good person. I don’t always know what I’m doing or who my actions are affecting. I’m not good at social situations, or reading interpersonal cues, but I’m trying. I’m learning. I’m growing; at least, I think I am. Most of that, I learned from you. What did any of this mean? Was I just a project to you? You don’t do to people what you did to me.”

Tears were coursing down Dick’s face, “Damian, I’m so, so sorry. I want to make this right.”

“You should have thought of that _six months ago,_ ” Damian snapped, “You showed me, through your inactions, exactly what I mean to you, which is obviously nothing. You hurt me, Grayson, and you’re not going to do that anymore. I won’t allow it.”

Dick nodded shakily, “Okay, so how are we going to get past this? What can we do?”

Damian took a deep breath, “I’m past it. It’s done. _We’re_ done.”

“Don’t say that, Little…” Dick caught a glare from Damian and changed his planned name, “Damian. I don’t want us to be like this.”

“You made us this way,” Damian said, shaking with barely contained rage, “I’m a lot more cautious about the people around me now. I’m not looking to add any new acquaintances right now.”

“Damian, please.”

Damian turned away, “I think we’ve covered everything we need to. Goodbye, _Mr. Grayson.”_

Dick flinched visibly at the finality in Damian’s tone. The teen walked away, and all Dick could do was watch.

Once Damian was out of sight, heading back up the stairs to the house, Dick collapsed in inconsolable tears. _I’ve lost him. I lost a brother. How could I do that to him? I don’t even remember doing what he said I did. I remember yelling at him, kind of, but I don’t remember what I said. That is the kind of thing I would say if I was looking to hurt him, though. How could I have been such a…such a…bad brother?_

“Did you really say those things to him?”

Dick glanced up to find Bruce standing in front of him. He shouldn’t have been surprised at Bruce’s presence, but he was.

“What are you doing here, Bruce?”

“I wanted to make sure you two didn’t kill each other,” Bruce said, “Did you say those things to him?”

Dick sighed, “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

“Did he make that up,” Bruce asked.

“No, he didn’t,” a new voice said.

Bruce and Dick turned to see Jason and Tim step out of the shadows.

“Did I really say that I wished he’d never been born,” Dick asked wetly.

“Yeah, you did,” Tim said, “We couldn’t hear what you were saying when you were yelling at him, but you lit into him like I’ve never seen before. Damian talked to me after we got home. He didn’t tell me everything, but he told me enough.”

Bruce glared at his middle sons, “You two saw this happen, and you didn’t try to intervene? Didn’t you talk to either of them after?”

“Dick passed out drunk after,” Jason said, “He didn’t remember any of it once he woke up.”

“Damian wouldn’t talk,” Tim said, “Damian didn’t say one word from the time of the argument until a week after we got home. I tried.”

“Why didn’t you step in and try to calm them down,” Bruce asked.

“We didn’t see the whole thing,” Jason said, “Once we realized it was Dick yelling, we went out in time to see Dick yell one or two things, then hit the Squirt, then stagger away.”

Dick gasped deeply, and asked in a small voice, “I hit him?”

Tim eyed Dick warily before looking back at Bruce, “I’d never seen Dick like that before. It scared me.”

Dick sniffled, “I’m sorry, Timmy. How can I fix this? How can I make this right?”

“I don’t know if you can, Dick,” Jason said, “He seemed pretty adamant about his position.”

“He’s still open to you, Dick,” Bruce said, “He said he was okay with you living in the next room, and with seeing you at meals.”

“And at no other time,” Dick said with a tear leaking down his cheek, “He said I’m not allowed to talk to him.” Dick looked around at the men surrounding him and asked desperately, “What do I do?”

“Give him his space,” Bruce said.

“I don’t want to give him his space. I want to hug him, and apologize for being an ass.”

“You do that, he’ll start hitting you again,” Jason said.

Bruce said, “This is Damian. You have to move at his speed. Right now, he’s hurt, and lashing out, but he did leave an opening for you. Give him his space, but let him see you around. Let him get used to having you back. Don’t approach him; he’ll just run away, or push you away. Just be around, and slowly, he’ll start warming up to you again. It’ll start small, and you’ll have to pay attention for small signs. He might ask you to pass the salt at dinner, or say goodbye when you leave for work. Move at his speed, and one day, he’ll ask you a question. Another day, he’ll say hello when he sees you, or he’ll smile at you, or tell you something that’s happening in his life. Eventually, he’ll want to talk. When he does, you’ll know you’ve earned his trust again.”

Dick sighed heavily, “How long will all that take?”

“Knowing how Damian holds grudges,” Jason said, “he’ll string it out over the next six months.”

“I don’t want to wait that long,” Dick complained.

“I’m sure he didn’t want to wait six months to hear from you, either,” Bruce said, “How many times did you call me because you were bored? How many of those could have been calls to Damian?”

Dick just sighed as Bruce turned and headed for the stairs, “Excuse me. I’m sure he’s wondering where we are.”

_Upstairs…_

Bruce walked out of the Cave, and was surprised to find his home in one piece. He walked into the foyer to find Alfred standing in the doorway to the dining room. The butler looked at Bruce compassionately before pointing at the grand staircase. Bruce nodded and walked to the stairs, but he wasn’t expecting to find Damian sitting at the base of the stairs, curled into a small ball in the corner. Bruce was expecting his son to be upstairs, locked in his room.

Taking a seat on the bottom step with a sigh, Bruce loosely wrapped his arms around his knees and said softly, “Let me guess, that didn’t go quite how you planned. You knew you were mad, but you didn’t know how much you had bottled up, and once you opened that bottle, you couldn’t stop yourself. You kept going and going, and now you wish your pride would allow you to go back downstairs and take it all back.”

Damian stared at Bruce for a minute before crawling over and leaning against Bruce’s legs. His voice was barely above a whisper when he said, “I made it worse. I don’t want to take all of it back, because he really hurt me, and he deserved that, but…maybe some of it.”

Bruce sighed as he reached down and pulled Damian into his lap, “Then, why don’t you?”

“Whose side are you on here, Father,” Damian asked softly.

Bruce smiled as he ran a hand over Damian’s head, “Believe it or not, yours. If everything happened as you said, then Dick deserved what just happened. However, I know both of you, and you both are over the anger now. You’re mad at him because you think that will ward off the hurt, but you know you’re going to have to hurt to heal.”

“Haven’t I hurt enough,” Damian asked in a weak voice.

“Have you,” Bruce asked, “The bigger question is, who are you trying to hurt here? You don’t want to hurt, so you lash out at him, but you see that it was effective, and you hurt him, which hurts you more. Piling hurt on hurt won’t help, but you don’t need me to tell you that.”

Damian buried his face in Bruce’s chest. His voice was barely audible when he said, “I wish this never happened.”

Bruce squeezed his son and spoke softly, “Give yourself some time, kiddo. Get used to being around Dick again. When you’re ready, he’ll be waiting for you.”

Father and son were silent for several minutes before Damian said softly, “So, now you know.”

“Did he really wish you hadn’t been born,” Bruce asked.

Damian nodded silently.

“You didn’t tell me because you didn’t want to get him in trouble,” Bruce pointed out, “You were trying to protect him from himself.”

“And from you,” Damian admitted, “I figured you’d be pissed after hearing that.”

“I am,” Bruce said, “You know that’s not how he actually feels.”

“I thought I knew,” Damian said, “Why didn’t he call me? He called everyone else. Why not me?”

“Would you have talked to him, if he had called,” Bruce asked.

“If _he_ called _me_ , yes,” Damian said, “I never thought he would just…ignore me.”

“Did you know he was calling us,” Bruce asked.

“Yeah,” Damian said softly.

“I know you,” Bruce said, “You’re not mad at him anymore, but you are hurt. Can you stop yourself from lashing out at him if you see him anywhere that isn’t the dining room?”

“You know how he acts,” Damian grumbled, “He’ll keep pushing and bugging me until I lash out. Then I’ll feel bad, and we can talk again.”

“Why don’t you get the first part out of the way,” Bruce asked, “You already knocked him around pretty good in the Cave.”

Damian looked up as he heard footsteps approaching. Tim and Jason were helping Dick to the stairs. This was the first fight Dick had in the last six months, and he would feel its aftereffects for a couple days. Damian could already make out a bruise forming on Dick’s chin.

“You want me to get past the first part,” Damian asked Bruce.

“Sooner, rather than later,” Bruce said.

Damian rose from Bruce’s lap and walked up to Dick. Jason and Tim each took a couple steps away from Dick, wondering what was going to happen next.

Dick took a breath after several tense moments and said, “Um, hi. Look, you were right. You didn’t deserve the last six months. This was one hundred percent my fault. I obviously didn’t think about anyone but myself. Damian, I am so, so…”

Dick didn’t get to finish his thought. With a muttered ‘TT’, Damian reared back and punched Dick in the jaw as hard as he could. Dick didn’t even have time to look surprised at the fist flying towards his head. His mouth clacked shut audibly, the follow-through whipped Dick’s head around sharply, and Dick collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Jason and Tim were shocked silent at the act. Alfred’s jaw dropped as Dick hit the floor. Bruce just sighed.

Damian watched Dick just long enough to make sure he was still breathing before turning and walking away.

Damian passed his Father on the stairs, and said, “Now, we can move on.”

**A/N: Well, the end. Or, is it? Doesn’t quite sound like they are getting along again. That will come eventually. Like I said in the story, it’s been six months. You don’t get over something like this quickly.**

**I hope this was a satisfying end to The Torch, and I hope you all enjoyed this one. For how my stories usually go, this one came together fairly quickly. Then again, it was a rather simplistic plot, and as you can probably tell, there was a good chunk that got edited out to keep it from dragging too much. It was mostly Dick trying to be around Damian and Damian pushing him away before the fight in the cave. It got really repetitive and bogged down the story, so it had to go away.**

**Next up is Congruence. Congruence was the very first story I wrote for my 2019 story arc, and has been completed for over two years. That is the story I have been working around, trying to make all the other stories I’ve written to take place in 2019 fit in with what I wrote there. I just didn’t want to have to go back and edit things in and out of that one every time I finished a preceding story. I think I kept everything lined up. That one should be posted on Sunday or Monday.**

**I hope you are still enjoying my stories. Please let me know.**

**Thanks for playing along.**


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